Railway signal



(No Model.) 5 sheetsfsheet 1.

W. RAAB. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 454,767. Paten-ted June 23, 1891.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. RMB.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 454,767. PatentedJune 23,1891.

5 sheets-sheet 3.

W. RAAB. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented June 23,1891.

(No Model.)

furla/w14 ll l Il l l l WI TNESSES I .7V T/EJV TOR 023'/ Waco/7 ,021 S Attorney 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

W. RAAB. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 454,767. Patented Juin@v 23, 1891.

WIAZWESSES -fl A Tm: mums Pneus uo., momma@ wnsnmafon. u. c.

(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

W. RAAB. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented June 23, 1891,

WITNESS/58 me Noms Patins co.. mo-uwe.. wAsnmcfau. n. c.

. tional view of same.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM RAAB, OF CEDAR` FALLS, IOVA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO H. C. HEMENYVAY AND ALFRED GRUNDY, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

RAI LWAY-SIGNAL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,767, dated June 23, 1891.

Application filed June 7. 1890. semi No. 354,609. (No'mdei.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM RAAB, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cedar Falls, in the county of Black I-Iawk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same7 reference being had to the accompanying'drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railway signaling, in which a metallic bellowspump is employed, which sucksin and forces out air and, working under the wheels of railway engines and cars, forces the air through suitable tubes in to a rubber bag and, inflating it, causes signals to be shown and sounded, the rubber bag, collapsing by the escape of the air, allowing the signals to disappear.

The objects of myinvention are, first, to secure an absolutely automatic signal; second, to cause engines and trains to announce their approach toward aA certain point bymeans of a signal at that point; third, to provide a Signal giving notice of a trains having passed a certain point for a definite period of time af,- ter the passage of the train, as for a block system. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter explained.

Figure l is a sectional view of parts of the pump of my signal. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a single downward-actin g pump at rest. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same pump in action. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of pump at rest. Fig. 5 is a top view of same. Fig. Gis a top view of the pump and shows the position of the disconnecting-bar vwhich is to be used where it is not desired to set a signal behind the train. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the spring-disk. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the invention in action. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detailed View of a p0rtion of the signal mechanism. Fig. l0 is a plan view of the arm Z and its adjunctive parts. Fig. ll is an enlarged detail view of the time-setting apparatus. Fig. l2 is a sec- Fig. 13 is a current- Fig. 14 is an enlarged det-ail secswitch.

tional View showing more especially the cylinder with its inclosed air-bag and the airsupply pipe with its pop or relief valve and the time-valve, the cylinder being omitted. Fig. lis also an enlarged detail partly sectional and partly side view of the timevalve. Fig. IG is an enlarged sectional view of the pop or relief valve, and Fig. 17 is an 6o enlarged broken pla-n view of the currentswitch.

The metallic bellows-pump in Fig. l has a bed-piece a of any suitable size and weight and ot' any desirable metal, ilat underneath, 65 f and arranged for fastening to a railway-tie or other suitable support. On the upper side Y is a circular concave depression extending to within an inch or two of the outer edge, the edge not depressed being turned to a smooth 7o at surface. At the sides of the bed-piece and opening into the concave are fixed a suction-valve and an exhaust-valve m m. On the top of the bed-piece and attached to itin any desirable manner on the fiat surface is a convex circular plate of spring metal b, having a corrugation near the outer edge.

On top of the spring-plate is acircular double concave piece of rubber or other desirable material c to protect it from rain or otherin- 8o jurious agency7 and above this is a circular plano-convex piece of metal d, of any desirable material, and attached at its upper center in such manner as to allow slight motion to a metal lever g, the lever g being attached S 5 in any desirable Way, so as to allow free hinge movement to a projection above the bed-piece.

At the other end of the lever is a segment of any desirable metal 7o, having its plane edge downward and beveled to a cutting-edge. 9o Between the lever and the bed-piece is a coiled metal spring held in place in any suitable manner. Astride the-leverg'is'a staple fastened inthe bed-piece in any desirable way to check the reboundfof the lever.

Over the pump, when in place, is a cover (see 0, Fig. 2) of any desirable material. The pump is attached in any suitable manner on therailway-track with the segment end of the lever within one-half inch of the upper 1 oo part of the rail. The outer edge of the wheel of a locomotive or car passes over the segment, bears down the lever with the disk d, which depresses the spring-plate b, and forces the Fig. 9.

air under it out of the exhaust-valve m and into a pipe which connects with a cylinder in the signal-post, as at c, Fig. 8. The segment hugs the wheel and, rising, allows the springplate to rise, and air rushes in through the suction-valve, filling the pump ready for the next action.

Referring to Fig. 6, wherein the pump is set farther from the rail, the lever gX is constructed with or without a segment at the end, and above this end rests one end of a rockshaft z'x, of any desirable shape, turning freely in boxes nx 0X, which are firmly attached to a tie or other suitable fixture. At the end next the pump is a short arm hX at right an- -gles to the shaft X and extending over the end of the lever g", but not attached to it. At the end lof the shaft X next to the rail is a half-oval-shaped arm X, extending upward at right angles to the shaft GLX. At any desirable point between the boxes nx oX and firmly attached to the shaft X is a cross-bar mx, and under the outer ends of this bar are coiled metal springs I I. A car-wheel moving in the direction of the arrow comes in contact with the left face of the oval arm, fiexesit in the direction of its motion, turns the shaft 71X, flexes downwa d the arm hX, which presses downward the lever gx, and produces the same action on the pump as when a car-wheel passes over the segment. A wheel moving in an opposite direction to the arrow flexes the oval arm kx in the line of motion, turns the shaft X in the same direction, and lifts the arm hx.' The lever g is not moved, and the pump remains at rest. The shaft X and the oval arm la* are brought 4backto position by the springs I I. The disconnecting-bar is to be arranged so as to cause the pump to act when the train is moving toward the signal, and thus give notice of its approach.

The pump is connected vat`the exhaustvalve m with a tube of any desirable material, which extends to the signal-post, Fig. 8, (which may be at any desirable distance from the pump,) and connects with the airbag ct through the tube e and valve f (More fully shown in-Figs. 8 and 14.)

The signal apparatus is inclosed in a hollow case of any form and material, designed to stand erect above or below a proper fastening, and is described as follows: At or near the lower part of the case is firmly fastened a hollow cylinder c', (referring to Fig. 8,) of any desirable material. Within the cylinder c is a rubber bag a', firmly iianged to the bottom of it. The bag a is closed at the upper end, where it is in contact with a circular plano-convex disk, which is attached at its upper center to a rod s. Around the rod s and extending upward from the outer edge of the disk is a drum mx, of any desirable material, working through a box m and keeping the rubber bag from folding over the disk as the latter sinks down, as shown in On the rod sf is a collar q', held in place by a set-screw and beveled on one'side, as shown in Fig. 9. Above this is another collar fr', held in place in the same manner. The rod s works through another box ZXX in the piece p and carries an arm Z', fastened to it by a set-screw. Parallel to the rod s is another rod o', working at its lower end through the eye-pieces p and i', these eyepieces being made so as to allow alateralmotion to the upperpart of the rod o. The arm Z extends from the rod s to the rod 0, which latter works through it in a slot im. (See Fig. l0.) The arm has at the slotted end a beveled piece mm. On the rod o', at aproper distance from the bottom, is a collar n', the upper end of the rod 0 being attached to a bent arm attached to the signal-arm, Fig. 8, so as to allow free movement. The signalarm n u is made of any desirable material and made so as to turn on a pin u u. Extending back from the signal-arm is a short arm bearing aweight t t, which is sufficiently y heavy to overbalance the signal-arm `and raise it up, turning on the pin u u. On the signal-arm may be any desirable inscription. At the outer end of the arm is a concave refiector w w, made of any desirable material and arranged to be seen from either side of the arm, designed to reflect the head-light of a locomotive at night, thus showing that the signal is out and to be regarded.

Suspended near the upper end of the case at c is a pendulum k2, the rod of which extends above the point of suspension and connects with a spiral spring y, which connects with a spring-clapper of a gong-bell z2, fastened at the top of the post. Attached to the side of the signal-arm o i; next to the pendulum is a short projecting pin Z2, (see Fig. 8,) so arranged that when the signal-arm is thrown down the pin strikes the lower end of the pendulum-rod and carries the pendulum forward until it slips over the pin, when it vibrates a number of times.

At the side of the cylinder c (referring again to Fig. 8) is placed a smaller cylinder jz, constructed in the same manner as the former. The rod t has a collar u' to prevent its rising higher than needed. The rod works through a box f Above the box f is a collar v', which prevents the rod from sinking too far. Above the collar 1; is an arm w. Above and near the rod t is a trip-rod z3, moving on a pin d', as shown by the dotted lines c2. Attached to the rod z3 is an arm b2, which is drawn under the lower end of the rod o by a spiral spring a2.

h2 is a tube opening into the rubber bag a and connected with a time-valve 2 and determines the time of the escape of air from the vbag a sufficient to allow the signal to drop back into the case.

g" in Fig. 9 (to which reference is now made) is a safety-valve connected with the rubber bag a by a tube g2, (shown by the dotted lines,) and works as follows: As the rod s moves upward it carries the beveled collar q into contact with the spring-bolt n2, the end of which is held in place by a short rod turning on a joint px. The collar q forces the bolt n2 outward, compressing the spring t2. The rod 3 slips through a slot .in the spring-bolt 01.2, the rod 3 being held in place by the slotted guide u2, and is forced upward by the spring 703, above which is ajointed lever h4, attached to the rod 3. This lever catches the upward pressure of the spring k3, carries the rod 'i3 up with it, and pulls on the movable elbows at h3, pushing open the Valve g and allowing the air to escape. As the rod s descends the collar q bears down the lever h4 above the spring k3, depressing the spring, and, closing the valve g', draws the upper end of the rod is out of the slot. in the bolt n2, which springs into place7 catchingthe end of the rod 3 under it and holding it in place.

The tube or pipe e is provided with a pop or relief valve a3, consisting of the nozzle-scction a4, screwed to said pipe, and the cylinder or tube section a5, projecting a certain Adistance into and held within the nozzle-section a4. Fitting still farther in the nozzle-section a4," but of smaller diameter than the latter, is a plug a6, having its iiange fitting against the inner edge of -said nozzle-section and its stem encircled by a spring bnormally holding the plug a in contact with its seat, the tension of said spring being regulated by the nut b5.

The action of the valve a3 is as follows: The air after intlating the bag a to its fullest capacity, following the course of the least resistance, pushes out the plug a6 in the pop or relief valve, and in so doing compresses the spring b3 and thenescapes through the opening thus provided between the plug and its seat, which will continue so long as air is forced into the tube or pipe e by the action of the pumps. Covering the inner end of the tube or pipe e is a downwardly-closing valve c4, having its upper side weighted to aid its closing action. When air is first forced through the tube or pipe e, the valve cil will be lifted thereby and the air enter the bag a until the latter is full, the course of the air then being diverted through the pop or relief valve. The time-valve t2 is an ordinary air-cock having a handle fL'XXX, by turning which more or less to the right or left the escape of air is accordingly regulated. Upon the pipe or tube h2 is fitted the index for movement or adjustment by hand to register with graduations on an arc i6 indicating minutes.

The action of the valve is as follows: Suppose the valve be set so as to allow the air to escape fromvthe bag a in five minutes. The air is forced from the pumps by the action of the car-wheels through the tube or pipe e, past the valve c4, and into and initiating the bag a', operatin g the signal. This, however, requires but very few actionsref the pump, and as each car-wheel produces an action of the pump the air will be forced into the bag a faster than it can escape, even after the latter vis full,

- the rods p2 through the valve This air, following the course of least. resistance, forces open the valve as and thus escapes. It will therefore be seen that there is in the meantime a continuous escape through the time-valve 2; but this escaping air is constantly replaced by the continual forcing of air from the tube e into the bag a. while there is any action of the pump. After the train has passed the pump, there being no further ingress of air, the pressure of the air in the bag a forces down the drop-valve c4, so that the only escape lof air is through the time-valve The escape at this point continues, and in five minutes, the cock of the valve being soadjusted,suflicient air has escaped to permit the tripping of the spring-bolt, holding the signal up and allowing the signal to fall back intothe box or post. The action of the signal is as follows: The air from the pumps is impelled by their action through a tube, as above described, from the Side of the signal-post on which the trainis approaching, passes through the tube e andl the valve f Fig. 8, to which reference is now made, into the rubber bag a iniiating it, lifts the rod s', carries up the arm Z which comes in contact' with the collar n', carries up the rod o', and throws out the signal ur, which in falling strikes the pendulum k2 and causes it to vibrate, the upper end of which trips the clapper of the gong and causes it to ring. As the signal-arm v c falls out the short arm b2- on the trip-rod z3 is pulled under the end of the rod o by the spiral spring a2, and the signal is thus held in place. Where the signal is set on time, the air in the bag a escapes through the valve 2 by the tube h2, as

above described, the bag a collapses, the rod s slips down, bringing the beveled piece mXX in contact with the trip-rod z3, forcing out the upper end of the tripfrod, as shown bythe dotted lines in Fig. 8, and releases the lower end of the rod o.- The weight t t, being thus allowed to fall, raises the signal-arm within the case.

Where so'desired, the signalk may be thrown back into the case as the train passes it by connecting a suitably-sized pump directly opposite the signal-post to the small cylinderj2 through the pipe y. The air is then forced into the bag within `this cylinder, iniiating it and lifting the rod t', (referring to Fig. 8,) which carries the trip-arm w under the triprod z3, forces itout in the position of the dotted line shown in Fig. 8, releases therod o', and allows it to drop, as above described.

The registering apparatus shown in Fig. l1 is the signal-post in connection with a block system, and where the signal is set on time. It consists of two notched metal wheels m3 m3, havingr the notches numbered and arranged as shown in the figure. The wheels are turned by the upward pressure of and q?, the rods -being heldin place by aframe p3 (detailed at left of the iigure) vin Fig. l2 and held down by the spiral springs fr2 r3.

IOO

IIO

The action is described as follows:` When the signal-arm is thrown out by the upward movement of the rods s and o the arm Z and the collar n press upward the rods p2 and q2, and boththe notched wheels are turned outward. Immediately after the train has passed the pump the air escapes through the timevalve 2, the rubber bag a collapses, and the rod s sinks down, allowing the registering-rod 1o p2 to sink out ofthe notchin thewh eel and down to position for the next action; but the rod o is Yheld in place by the arm b2 onthe trip-rod z3 unin this way would show how many trains were running ahead of time. The location of the register in the signal-post is shown in Fig. 8.

The current-switch in Fig. 13 is to be used on curves or elsewhere in order to avoid the necessity of a double line of pipe where signals are to be placed on each side of the track and to be thrown out by trains approaching from opposite directions and to enable several signals to be operated by one pump. The switch consists of a suitable metal cylinder a4, fitted with a double-headed pistou b4, on the outside of the heads of which are rubber disks c3 c3. Fitted into the ends of the cylinder are pipes 4 it, which are fitted to the pipe leading from the pump toward the signalposts. Extending from the cylinder to the pipes Q14 'i4 are two pipes f4 and 714, each being closed with a valve shown Aat d4 and e4 by suitable mechanism. (Not shown.) From the cylinder are two other tubes g5 and j, leading to the valve f2 in two signal-posts on opposite sides of the track.

In the action of the current-switch the air is forced into the cylinder and from that through the pipe g5 into the tube or pipe e and past the drop-valve c4 into and iniiating the bag a. There then being compression or resistance it follows the line of least resistance, which is through the valve e4, and so on past the switch into the line-pipe, carrying out the principle above involvede-that of air following the direction of the least resistance. It might be supposed that the air would escape through the pop-valve a3 rather than through the valve e4. This difficulty is obviated by tightening the spring in the pop or relief valve a3 and compressing it by means of its nut to such extent as to cause a greater resistance at the plug therein than occurs in the valve e4 of the current-switch, it being understood that the valves e4 and d4 are spring-valves-that is, their plugs are seated or closed by means of a spring whose resistance is overcome by pressure.

A train moving in the direction of the arrow h5 passing over a pump, forces the air in the same direction and into the cylinder, forcing the piston against the tube at the opposite end and closing the opening there. The air then follows the direction of the arrows through the tube g5 into the cylinder of a signal-post at that point through a valve f2, causing the signal to operate, and through the valve e4 into the tube 4, and ou past the switch to the next post, and so on. A train moving in the opposite direction forces the piston in the line of its motion to the other end of the cylinder. The air then passes through the tube ji to the cylinder of a signal-post on the opposite side of the track, causing the signal to act, and through the valve d4 and tube f t onto the next post, reversing the above-de scribed process.

On the top of the signal-post, Fig. S, is a whistle 002 x2. This is connected by means of a tube y2 y2 with the pipe carrying air into the cylinder-bag a at a point between the valves f f2. flated, the surplus air passes through a valve f5 into the tube y2 y2 and blows the whistle 002 m2.

I-Iaving described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. The single concave bed-piece, the double concave rubber piece, an exhaust, and a suction-valve coacting with said parts, said bedpiece having a turned rim around the concave depression, the movable spring-plate h, the circular plano-convex disk d, the lever g, having the segment la, the disconnecting-shaft 71X, turning in theboxes n* and 0X, having the oval arm 76X, the depressing-arm hX, and the cross-bar mx, supported by the springs I I, in combination with the signal, all substantially as described.

2. The combination of the cylinder c', containing the rubber bag a for lifting the rod s', the disk above the rubber bag attached to the rod s at itslower end,the drummXXX, the rod s', adapted to work through the boxes m and p', the beveled collar q', the collar fr', the slotted arm Z the beveled piece mXX, attached to the slotted arm, the trip-rod a3, the rod o', adapted to work through the eyes p and t" and attached at its upper end to the bent arm ot' the signal-board by a movable joint, the collar n', the signal-board o o, adapted to turn on the pin 'a u, the reflector w w on the signal-arm, the weightt t, adapted to bear the signal-arm into place, the projecting pin Z2, and the signal-arm adapted to push out the pendulum k2, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the bell z2 with pendulum k2, the spiral wire fy, the signal-board o o, provided with the stud or projection Z2 and the rod 0, adapted to bear said signalboard, the trip-rod z3, having the upper and lower ends bent, and the short projection b2 on the trip-rod, the spiral spring a2, holding When the bag a is fully in- IOO IlO

the trip-rod in place, the cylinder jz, containthrough the box f and having the collars 'u' and u', and the arm w for moving the triprod, substantially as specified.

4. The registering apparatus having' the notched and numbered wheels for registering the passageA of trains, in combination with the rods p2 and q2, the spiral springs r3 r3, and the frame p3, holding the'rods p2 and q2 in position, and the actuating mechanism comprising the rods o and s', the rod s carrying the arm Z', provided With the beveled piece mXX, the rod o carrying the collar n', andthe airbag, and pump for inatingsaid bag, substantially as set forth.

VILLIAM RAAB.

Vitnesses:

C. J. MORLEY, JOHN B. ABBOTT. 

